Predators take 3-0 series lead with OT win

NASHVILLE -- Kevin Fiala scored at 16:44 of overtime to give the Nashville Predators a 3-2 win against the Chicago Blackhawks in Game 3 of the Western Conference First Round at Bridgestone Arena on Monday.
Fiala deked around Corey Crawford and scored his second goal of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
"It's just character," Fiala said. "Everybody, when we went in here before the third period, we could feel it. We were going to do it. Everybody believed in it. Everybody was just working hard from the first and last guy, and that's why we did it."

The Predators leads the best-of-7 series 3-0 with Game 4 here Thursday.
\[WATCH: All Predators vs. Blackhawks highlights | RELATED: Complete Nashville vs. Chicago series coverage\]
Nashville has a 3-0 series lead for the first time in its history.
Filip Forsberg scored for the Predators to make it 2-1 at 4:24 of the third period. The puck bounced off of the glass behind the net on a shot by Viktor Arvidsson and back into the slot, and Forsberg shot it past Crawford for his first goal.
Forsberg tied the game 2-2 at 14:08 from the slot.

"I think there's no stop in this group," Arvidsson said. "We were down 2-0 going into the third and we just believed in ourselves and kept battling."
Dennis Rasmussen gave the Blackhawks a 1-0 lead at 1:05 of the second period on a backhand shot from in front of the net. Marcus Kruger made the pass from behind the net, and Rasmussen beat Pekka Rinne for Chicago's first goal of the 2017 playoffs.
Rasmussen's goal ended Rinne's postseason shutout streak at 141:05.
Patrick Kane gave the Blackhawks a 2-0 lead at 11:15 on the power play. He took a wrist shot from the right faceoff circle that beat Rinne for his first goal. It was Kane's 50th career NHL playoff goal.

"It's tough right now," Kane said. "Let this one sting a little bit tonight. We have two [days] in between, so get rested, come back feeling good. Take it one at a time. I know that's cliché and things you have to say, but at the same time win one game. See what happens after that."
Crawford made 46 saves.

Goal of the game

Neal made a backhand pass to Fiala below the left faceoff circle, and he slid the puck past Crawford's glove on the backhand.

Save of the game

Crawford made a toe save on Fiala at 13:56 of overtime on a shot from the slot. Neal passed the puck to Fiala in the slot, and Crawford reacted in time to get enough of the puck to keep it out of the net.

Unsung performance of the game

Rinne made a breakaway save on Nick Schmaltz early in the third period to keep it 2-0. Schmaltz tried to beat Rinne on the forehand on the glove side, but Rinne made the save and moved the puck to P.K. Subban.

Highlight of the game

Forsberg redirected a shot from the point from Ryan Ellis that Crawford saved. Forsberg gathered the rebound and moved the puck from his backhand to his forehand and beat Crawford.

They said it

"We've got to make them realize that winning that fourth game is the toughest for any team in any series." -- Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews
"At the time, that was probably the most critical point in the game at 2-0 and a breakaway coming down. It doesn't seem it because we ended up scoring two goals after that. We get to overtime and that's a big win, but if you want to know where the game kind of clicked for us into our favor was that save right there by [Rinne]." -- Predators coach Peter Laviolette on Pekka Rinne's breakaway save on Nick Schmaltz

Need to know

Chicago defenseman Duncan Keith had 32:27 of ice time. Kane had nine shots on goal and 12 shot attempts. Anisimov went 2-for-17 in the faceoff circle. … The Predators improved to 5-7 in overtime in the playoffs in their history. Nashville had 49 shots on goal and 94 shot attempts.

What's next

Game 4 of Western Conference First Round at Bridgestone Arena on Thursday (8 p.m. ET; NBCSN, SN360, TVA Sports 3, FS-TN, CSN-CH)